Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-02-04

| Moravian missionary who was civilizing the
| Indians In Eastern Ohio long before the colonies
had achieved independence. Heckewclder was
not in the Continental armies, but he was
| undergoing hardships that rivaled those OF the
| soldiers, and il is matter of history that his
| influence with tho Indians became so great that
| no wns able TO prevent them from harussing
| the frontier settlements, the British ut De-
troit were chcerfully urging them to do. His
influence with the Indians caused him TO be
captured and dragged to Detroit upon one oc-
cnsion. where he was tried for being q spy, and
had narrow escape from death.
Heckewcldor made Il study of the Indians,
ana OF their language, and did n good deal OF
translnting for them, and when General Putnam
came to Ohio in l1sS, he found that the most
thoroughly well informed and useful man in the
whole West was the Moravian missionary.
Heckeweldcr has written IAN Account OF the
History, Manners and Customs of the Indian
Nations who once inhabited the Pennsylvania
and Neghboring States" that &c almost a classic
In its way. He was well fitted for his work
Born in Bedford England, in 1Ti3, he was In his
eleventh year brought by his parents, who were
leaders among the Moruvans. TO Bethlehem, Pa.
In the spring of liaa he was called to accompany
the wcll-linown Christian Frederick Post TO es-
tnblsh mission among the Indian tribes on the
branches of the MuslIingum river. Here on the
Tuscarawas fork Post had built n cabin in 1851,
near the site of the town of Bolivar, and Mt this
point, with his eager young assistant. the daunt
less missionary began the work OF preaching
the Gospel to the Indians. But the time was
not favorable one, and the actions OF the In
dians indicated speedy resumption OF hostili-
ties, so the enterprise was Abandoned within n
few months and Heckewelder returned to Beth
lchem, but his eyes had caught Il glimpse of the
field and the work that was to occupy his life.
In the summer OF 1IIl he entered upon his
actual career an evangelist to the Indians,
sharing the wavering fortunes OF the Moravian
mi fDra "a Off
The famous missionary David Zeisberger,
whose papers have just been published by his
torical society mt Cincinnati. had Just cstab-
lishcd n mission in the valley of the Mus
kngum, and Heckewelder was made his
assistant. Near the point which they had
chosen were built in succession Schonbrun,
Gnadenhutten, Lichtcnau and Salem, flourish.
ing towns of Moravian Indians, and here Heck
oweldcr was laboring with great success when
the Revolution commenced.
After Heclicwelder's return from the enforced
visit to Detroit that has been mentioned, he
made n settlement on the Cuyahoga near Cleve-
land, and IL was here that he closed his mission.
ary labors, and years memorable in his life, In
the course OF which he says he was sin journey
ings often, in peris OF water, in pcrils OF rob-
bcrs, in pcrils OF his countrymcn, in pcrils by
the heather, in pcrils In the wilderness, in wca-
rness, in watchngs often, in hunger and thirst,
In fastings often, In cold and nakcdness."
In the summer OF lIDa Heckewelder was as
socinted by the Government with General Ru.
fus Putnam lat Putnam's reQuesD, to treat
for peace with the Indians of the Wabash, and
they Travelled on this mission as far as Post
Nincennes, where articles OF peace were for
mally signed by thirty-one Chiefs of the Seven
Nations represented ~ the conference. This
association with General Putnam for the nego-
tiation Of n treaty SO important in Its results
was high testimonial OF confidence In the
missionarys knowledge of Indian life and
fnN In hn al no I'd hR
again commissioned to assist at a conference In
which the Government wished to make u treaty
with the Indians of the Lake tribes The other
commissioners were General benjamin Lincoln,
Colonel Timothy Pickering and Beverly Ran
dolph.
In the interval between 1907 and 1870 he visited
Ohio four times, and in 1901 removed with his
family TO Gnadhutten,o on the Tuscarawas branch
OF the Musldngum. Here he remained nine
years, being intrusted with the superintendent
OF twelve thousand acres of land that was owned
by a religious society. granted It by Congress-
for the bt neht OF the Moravian Indians as u con-
siderntion for the losses they incurred during
the Revolution. While he was In Ohio this time
HeClSewelder was justice OF the peace, ,postmas
ter and an associate judge OF the court OF com
mon pleas.
He returned to Bethlehem in 1910, and built
house which is still standing. lie died in 1923
aged seyenty-nine years
The first white child born In Ohio was Johan
m Maria, the eldest daughter OF Heckeweldcr
She was born Mt Salem, Tuscarawas County,
April o. 1881, and died ~ Bethlehem, September
10, 1853.
II has been claimed by some historians that
Miss Heckewelder was the first white child born
In Ohio, but recent Investigations make II prct'
~ certain that there were two or three white
children born of French parents several years
before her birth. There Is no doubt that ut the
wedding OF her parents was the first time the
marriage ceremony was performed In this part
OF ,he country. II took place at Salem, In the
chapel, In July, li60, and was witnessed by all
the mission faslies and ull OF the converted
Indians ut hand, Johanna Heckewelders
mother was comely young woman OF fine edu'
cation, VINO bad come out rs missionary 10
work among ne Indians. Her mauen nAne
was Sarah Ohneberg.
II was believed for d long time that Johanna
Heckewelder was the first child born In Ohio,
and as she was possessed OF an excellent nom
ofy she was yearly visited by hundreds fper'
sous. Historians sought her, antlquari.ns
wrote for her picture and autograph hunters
demanded thousands OF signatures II does not
matter much whether she was the first or SEQ
ond or fifth child born IN the State, since she IL
the only one who was ever OF use In u historical
way. Her father gave her great deal OF In
formation, and her own recolections were valn'
able. Miss IIeckewelder devoted herself 10 the
education OF young women for useful oocnpa-
tions In life until the loss OF her hearing made
further enorL In this line impossible.
TIE bret white person born IN Ohio after ~